I’ve made several German recipes for my kids’ high school German classes over the last few years. The assignment was to make or bake a German recipe and everyone in the class enjoyed the snacks. My daughter decided she wanted to try real homemade German pretzels when she was a Freshman. So I set out to find an authentic German pretzel recipe.
Homemade German Pretzel Recipe
Previously I had made Bretzel Rolls, so luckily I was already prepared for this. The Bretzel rolls were delicious and reminded me of a restaurant I used to go to. For this same class assignment we also made mini lemon cakes and Partybrot.
I found this pretzel recipe on the blog La Cerise. It’s run by Astrid who lives in Zurich and bakes up some true masterpieces. This German pretzel recipe was originally adapted by Astrid from a German website.
I’ve calculated the adjustments from metric to standard, so I was very pleased that our homemade German pretzels came together so well.
Original photo from the first time I made these in 2009
The first time I made them they were considerably smaller than I expected. Mine looked quite a bit fatter than Astrid’s, so when I made these again, I made sure to roll out my ropes longer.
That was back in February of 2009. Fast forward a few years and I’ve made these homemade German pretzels several times.
Baking Soda Bath
Have you ever wondered why pretzels, which are made essentially from bread dough, have that lovely brown crust when a loaf of bread does not? Pretzels get that wonderful brown crust from something called the “Maillard process”. While I won’t take you back to science class, I can tell you that this process is a het activated reaction between small sugars and amino acids.
“Dipping dough in lye alters the ratio between sugar and protein, because lye breaks proteins present in the dough into smaller bits. Those are the small amino acids that then combine with sugars in the dip to create the flavor compounds at the pretzel’s crust.” [Source: Wisconsin Public Radio Ideas Network]
Since you can’t really find lye at the grocery store, you can use a baking soda bath to get the same results. The chemical reaction takes place in the baking soda bath, and after baking in the hot oven you’ll get that beautiful brown crust that pretzels are so famous for.
Authentic German pretzels are a little smaller and not as fat as the kind you get at the county fair or local food stand. So don’t expect the same pretzel that you buy from the street vendor or food truck.
They are delicious though and you should definitely try them. Besides, the process is actually quite fun. Who knew science could be so delicious?
More Pretzel Recipes
- Ham & Cheese Pretzel Roll Sandwiches
- Bretzel Rolls (Pretzel Sandwich Rolls)
- Homemade Pretzel Dogs – What Megan’s Making
- Rosemary Sea Salt Pretzels – Two Peas and Their Pod
- Air Fryer Pretzel Bites
Homemade German Pretzels
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1 ½ oz active dry yeast 4 1/2 teaspoons (2 packages)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- Coarse salt for sprinkling
Soda Bath
- ½ cup baking soda
- 2 quarts water
Before You Begin
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast in the lukewarm water. Mix flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Form a well in the flour mixture then add the sugar to the center of the well. Pour the yeast/water mixture into the well. Let it rest for 15 minutes before mixing.
- Add the softened butter to the mixing bowl and knead everything to a smooth dough. I used the dough hook on my Kitchenaid for about 6 minutes on speed #2, I did have to add about a tablespoon of additional water as it was not quite gathering all the dry ingredients. Remove the dough hook and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Cut the dough into twelve equal parts, then roll each piece on the table (don't flour the surface, you shouldn't need it) to about 20 inches, tapered toward the ends. Don't make it smaller than 20 inches as it's impossible to get a good shape with a short, thick rope of dough. The dough should not get too warm as you roll it out, or it might tear.
- To form the pretzel shape, place dough rope on parchment lined cookie sheet so that it creates the shape of the letter "U". Take both ends of the "U" and cross them over each other twice forming a twist. Bring that twist down and place it over the bottom curve of the "U".
- Place the pretzels without covering them in the fridge for about an hour. This helps build a skin that will absorb the dipping solution better and make a beautiful shiny crust.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Fill large stock or pasta pot 3/4 full and bring the water to a boil. Carefully and slowly add the baking soda to the boiling water. There will be a reaction when the baking soda hits the water and it will bubble furiously for a moment and then relax. Stand back a bit just to be safe. Using a slotted spoon, gently drop each pretzel into the bath for 10 seconds, then turn over for another 10. Astrid called for a total of 10 seconds only. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Score the dough once like for a baguette with a razor blade or sharp knife.
- Sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake the pretzels for about 15 to 20 minutes (mine took 20 minutes for a nice dark crust), depending on how dark you like them.
Nutrition
This post originally published on February 19, 2009
Amanda Davis
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Bianca Mattar says
How long do they last?
Amanda Formaro says
Only a day or so.
Kiara says
Thank you for such an amazing recipe! I’m a novice baker but I’ve already tried making these for more than 5x and they all turned out great! I plan on making another batch today but I only have bread flour at the moment. Should I make some changes in the recipe in this case? Thanks a lot!
Amanda Formaro says
You should be fine using bread flour without any changes. So glad you love them!!
Annie Reynolds says
Good recipe, but it wasn’t a good idea for me to put the pretzels on parchment paper to bake. Maybe it’s because they were wet from the boiling water, but all the pretzels stuck to the paper and I ended up having to cut off the back of all the pretzels so that people weren’t eating paper. If I do it again, I would grease the sheets instead!
Thanks for the recipe though – it was my first time making pretzels! :)
Amanda Formaro says
Oh interesting! I’ve never had that trouble. Glad you enjoyed them anyway!
Christie says
Awesome! I followed the recipe exactly including the extra tablespoon of water and they were perfect! My first attempt at German pretzels and thanks to your detailed recipe they were fabulous. Thanks!!!
Amanda Formaro says
Awesome, so glad you loved them!!
Snyeska Bendis says
Do you maybe have measurements in grams from original recipe? I have trouble achieving good results when using cups as measurement. Thank you
Amanda Formaro says
Hi there! Here’s the European version https://lacerise.blogspot.com/2008/04/pretzels.html?q=pretzel
Jenni says
I tried making these today, and might try again or try a different recipe. I found that the dough lost its pretzel shape as soon as i dropped it in the soda bath, and i had to completely reshape it as a delicate, wet dough. I then cooked them the full 20 minutes but they didnt get dark at all.. not sure what i did wrong. Any ideas?
Amanda Formaro says
Sounds like your measurements may have been off. The dough should be pretty stiff when you shape them.
Ashlee Richardson says
I followed the recipe to a T. My dough as very crumbly. I ended up adding about 3 or 4 extra tablespoons of water and still had to stop the stand mixer and knead it by hand to get it to combine fully. Is that normal? First time making pretzels here.
Amanda Formaro says
Fairly normal. It is a hard dough to work with, like it’s tight. YOu did the right thing though. It is possible that you could have had a bit too much flour to begin with, or it could simply have to do with your barametric pressure in your area. Baking is such a science! ;)
Marleigh says
I followed all the instructions and so far my dough is pretty clumpy. I’m not sure what happened but I’m gonna keep on going and see what happens! Does anyone have any ideas on why it’s clumpy? Thanks!
Amanda Formaro says
If you don’t use the scoop and sweep method to measure your flour, you can end up with too much. Other factors can be barometric pressure, the heat of your kitchen, and even your elevation. Adding water one tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together will work :)
Emily says
Make sure you either line or lightly grease the bottom of your baking sheet or they WILL stick But recipe is perfect used baking soda and it worked great just as directed! <3 so yummy
Kristin Keene says
Absolutely fantastic!! And, so easy to make! Wow!
Amanda Formaro says
Thank you so much Kristin!
Patrick Patla says
I was hosting a “German sausage fest” for a socially distanced BBQ, and these were the star of the show. We had the right mustard and they turned out great… Next time I may split the dough into 8 instead of 12, because my wife likes the fluffier pieces and that would be a great compromise. While we were making them she said “we will have to freeze some huh?”. We didn’t freeze any as they were all gobbled up….
These are WELL worth the effort, great recipe… great instructions…..
Amanda Formaro says
Hooray, thanks Patrick! I’m so glad you enjoyed them, and what a fun party idea!
Alex Steyn says
Perfect!
Tom says
You can’t use baking soda. You have to use a strong base. Lye is just caustic soda. It is available in all hardware stores. There is no such thing as food grade lye.
Amanda Formaro says
Have you actually tried this recipe? It’s works great with baking soda and HAS worked great for a LOT of people. As for the food grade lye:
“Soap supply company Essential Depot states via their website: “Food grade has a lower parts per million of heavy metal impurities.” In the U.S., food grade lye must meet strict guidelines prescribed by the FDA. Technical grade sodium hydroxide contains more impurities.” https://soapingwithstyle.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/technical-vs-food-grade-sodium-hydroxide/
Jennifer S says
Can the dough be made ahead of time and cooked another day?
Amanda Formaro says
No, it tends to produce a tougher pretzel.
Maria says
Hi! How long do the pretzels keep for? Are they still soft/yummy after 2 days? or do they need to be eaten immediately? Thanks!
Amanda Formaro says
That’s a great question. We’ve always just eaten them right away. I would imagine that after they cool you could wrap them in foil, then place in freezer bags or a covered container and refrigerate for up to a few days.
Kim says
Hello! Are these soft pretzels or crispy all the way through? Thank you
Amanda Formaro says
Soft! :)
Lina says
Just made these beauties! Amazing! I’m surprised how easy the whole recipe is and how great they turned out to be! Thank you!
Amanda Formaro says
Yay, so glad you loved them!
Marissa says
Hi Amanda! Do you think I would be able to halve this recipe and still have it come out the same consistency? Thank you so much!
Amanda Formaro says
In theory it should be fine!
Cindy Esquibel says
My husband wanted pretzels for after dinner tonight. I had planned on making salmon and a salad. The pretzels smelled soon good, we ate them for dinner! This recipe is AMAZING!!!!! THANK YOU for sharing!
Amanda Formaro says
THAT is amazing! I love it!
Laura Schoppmann says
I will try them tomorrow ! 😍
How many is 1 package yeast ?
Amanda Formaro says
There are 2 1/4 teaspoons in one packet – so measure out 4 1/2 teaspoons :)
Helwe Najami says
Hi
Ive made the pretzels and they have been in the fridge now for an hour.
I changed my mind and want to bake it tomorrow morning. Its 20:30 pm here in israel.
Is it okay to leave them in the fridge overnight?
Should I cover them?
Thank you
Amanda Formaro says
I haven’t tried, but they SHOULD be ok? Cover them loosely with a little foil.